ML105034411
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Media notes
Screen shot of video of this bird, taken by George Powell. The White-rumped Sandpiper is on the far right (note white rump band). (c) George Powell
Observation details
Carefully studied, photographed, and video-taped for over an hour on the afternoon of May 7. Observers were Jiawei Wu (Alpine Birding), Scott Robinson (Florida Museum of Natural History), George Powell (World Wildlife Fund) and myself. A Calidris sandpiper, noticeably larger than nearby Temminck's Stints but smaller than Lesser Sand-Plovers (Mongolian Plovers). Long wings gave the bird a markedly longer, attenuated shape. Dark bill approximately as long as the head, thin and very slightly decurved. Sharply defined black streaks across the chest and extending along the flanks. Underparts otherwise white with no pronounced buffy or brownish wash. Legs dark. Some rufous edging on scapulars; otherwise, scapulars and coverts dark with light brownish-gray edging. Sharply defined, unmarked white band on upper tail coverts ("rump") noted when the bird flew and when it preened. We took a number of photographs and a short video. I am posting four photographs I took with my cell phone looking through a Swarovski spotting scope. Will post additional stills from the video showing the white rump. I sent these four photos to Michael O'Brien (Cape May, New Jersey, USA), who confirmed identification in an email dated 24 May 2014 : "Just a quick note to say, yes, it's a White-rump for sure. Great find! I would elaborate on why, but I'm in the middle of packing and am leaving early tomorrow for a tour. I think you[r] photos should stand for themselves."
Technical information
- Original file size
- 2.25 MB